Continuous form marginal connections



Nov. 26, 1963 H. E. DARROW CONTINUOUS FORM MARGINAL CONNECTIONS Filed July 10, 1961 INVENTOR 717 A? Oar-raw 4 mm fimi m 727% ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,112,125 Patented Nov. 26, 1963 3,112,125 CQNTINUOUS FORM MARGINAL CUNNECTEONS Henry E. Dorrow, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, assignor to R. L. Crain Limited, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed July 10, 1961, Ser. No. 122,757 Claims priority, application Canada July 11, 1960 6 Claims. ((31. 282-115) This invention relates to connections and particularly marginal connections between the sheets of a continuous manifold assembly.

This invention is particularly concerned with an improvement in continuous manifold assemblies of the type comprising individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having marginal feed holes and means such as carbon paper between the sheets for reproducing on underlying manifold sheets, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheet. A weakened severance line generally extends longitudinally of the manifold sheet adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-off strip in which feed holes at one margin are located.

It is advantageous to be able to secure together the registering manifold sheets. Securing the sheets together as a package maintains registration between the sheets. This is particularly important with high speed printers as the feed holes may become blocked, due to creepage of the sheets, and in addition the data printed on the forms may be displaced from its correct position in some copies of the form.

It has previously been proposed to use a solid glue line or wire stitches, these however have the disadvantage that there is a tendency for tenting and wrinkling to occur at the transverse folds. It has also been proposed to make diagonal cuts in intervening sheets and to secure the carbon sheets to adjacent manifold sheets, so as to use the diagonal strips thus formed in the carbon sheets to connect the manifold forms. This however, suffers from the disadvantages that freedom of movement is provided only in one direction. The solution could not be used where there is a carbonized bond or special coated sheets instead of intervening carbon sheets.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved means for interconnecting the sheets of a continuous manifold assembly.

The foregoing object is accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing a continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having transverse fold lines and marginal feed holes, means such as carbon sheets or a coating between said sheets for reproducing on an underlying manifold sheet, intermediate sheets such as carbon do not appear, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheets, a. weakened severance line extending longitudinally of the manifold adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-ofl' strip in which feed holes at one margin are located and securing means for connecting at least one manifold sheet to an adjacent manifold sheet to maintain the manifold in assembled relationship while permitting limited relative movement in each of opposite longitudinal directions between at least one manifold sheet and the adjacent manifold sheet. In accordance with this invention in a more limited aspect, the securing means are provided by a portion struck out of one sheet and secured to the other sheet and including at least two flexible parts interconnected and joined to said sheets so that one of said flexible parts provides limited freedom of relative movement in one longitudinal direction and the other of said flexible parts provides freedom of relative longitudinal movement in the other direction. In accordance with this invention in its preferred aspect a tab is struck out of one manifold sheet and secured to an adjacent sheet at its free end, and there is a flexible neck between the secured end of the tab and the base of the tab, to provide freedom of movement in one longitudinal direction and there is at least one and preferably two flexible mounting strips extending from the base of the tab in the direction of the free end of the tab, the base of the tab being connected to the flexible mounting strip and the flexible mounting strip connecting the tab to the manifold sheet, to provide freedom of movement in the other longitudinal direction.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of this invention:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a manifold assembly.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic end view showing a manifold assembly passed around a platen.

FIGURE 3 is a detailed view of the connecting means used in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the effect of relative longitudinal movement in one direction, and

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the effect of relative movement in another longitudinal direction.

FIGURE 6 is a detailed elevation view showing a typical location of the connections in a manifold.

FIGURE 7 is a. view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating an alternative embodiment of this invention.

FIGURE 8 is similar to FIGURE 3 and illustrates a further embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, a manifold assembly as illustrated, indicated generally by the numeral 10 and comprising manifold sheets 11, 12, 13 and 14 arranged in registration and interleaved carbon sheets 15, 16 and 17, between manifold sheets 11 and 12, 12 and 13, and 13 and 14 respectively. Although four registering manifold sheets are shown, it will be appreoiated that any convenient number may be used. The continuous manifold sheets such as sheet 11 have transverse fold lines, such as 18 separating the individual forms. These fold lines are provided for convenience in subsequent re folding and decollating. Marginal feed holes 19 are provided in each manifold sheet adjacent to one margin and marginal feed holes 20 is provided adjacent to the other margin. A weakened longitudinally extending severance line is provided by a line of perforations 21 adjacent one margin of each manifold sheet to provide a tear-off strip in which feed holes 19 are located. Securing means 22 which will more fully be described below are also preferably located in the tear-oflf strip.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, when manifold assembly 10 passes around a platen 23, the feed holes '19 and 20 extend normally as indicated by dotted line 24 at the mid point of the platen, but the outermost sheet in FIGURE 2 is advanced in a clockwise direction when approaching mid point 24 so that the feed holes are aligned in a forwardly inclined direction as indicated by dotted line 25. Once the manifold assembly has passed the mid point, the feed holes are inclined rearwardly. Limited relative movement therefore has to be provided for in both of the opposite longitudinal directions.

FIGURE 3 which is a detailed View of connecting member 22 provides for this relative movement in each longitudinal direction in the manner diagrammatically indicated by FIGURES 4 and 5. As illustrated in FIG- URE 3, the connecting member is struck-out of sheet 12 by cutting along an are 27 and a concentric are 28 having a smaller radius to define a tab 29. Tab 29 has a free end portion 30 which is glued to the underside of sheet 11 and a neck portion 31. Neck portion 31 is flexible to provide freedom of movement in one longitudinal direction. The base 32 of tab 29 is connected to flexible mounting strips 33 and 34 to provide freedom of movement in the other longitudinal direction. FIGURES 4 and 5 are diagrammatic and intended to facilitate an understanding of the connections shown in FIGURE 3 rather than showing its exact action as in practice, sheets 11 and 12 are likely to be more closely spaced than illustrated in the figures. In FIGURE 4 sheet 1 1 is being moved to the right and sheet 1-2 to the left with the consequence that portions 33 and 34 curl to permit the movement to occur. In FIGURE 5, sheet 1 1 is moving to the left and sheet 12 is moving to the right, with the consequence that portion 33 is straight and portion 31 is curled to permit the movement to occur. It will particularly be noted that although the relative movement is permitted as shown by FIGURES 4 and 5 there is a tendency for the connection to return the sheets to the stable central position illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3.

FIGURE 6 illustrates the location of securing connections 22. They may be located in staggered relationship in the tear off strip between each of adjacent marginal manifold sheets. Alternatively, however, some of the advantages of the invention can be obtained by connecting together only one pair of the manifold sheets with connecting means 2 2.

The connecting means 22 is particularly convenient as it can readily be provided by making arcuate cuts 27 and 28 in separate successive cutting operations following which portions 30 are spot glued.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate modifications of the invention. In FIGURE 7 tab 40 has a secured end portion 41 and a neck portion 42, the base 43 of tab 40 is mounted on flexible securing strips 44 and 45. The modiiications shown in FIGURE 7 are essentially similar to FIGURE 3 except that straight rather than arcuate cuts are made. In the modifications illustrated in FIGURE 8, tab 50 has secured end 51 and neck portion 52, the base 53 of the tab is connected to flexible mounting strip 54. The embodiments shown in FIGURE 8 is similar to that shown in FIGURE 7 except that there is only one flexible strip 54 as compared with a pair of flexible strips 44 and 45 in FIGURE 7.

I claim:

1. A continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and carbon sheets between said manifold sheets extending through at least a part of the area of said manifold sheets, and connecting means between adjacent sheets, said connecting means comprising a portion struck out of one sheet and secured to the other sheet and including at least two flexible parts interconnected and joined to said sheets so that one of said flexible parts provides limited freedom of relative movement in one longitudinal direction from a position substantially in the plane of said one sheet and the other of said flexible parts provides limited freedom of relative longitudinal movement in the other direction from said position.

2. A continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having transverse fold lines, marginal feed holes, means between said sheets for reproducing on an underlying manifold sheet, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheet, a weakened severance line extending longitudinally of the manifold sheet adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-off strip in which feed holes at one margin are located and securing means connecting at least one manifold sheet to an adjacent manifold sheet to maintain the manifold assembly in assembled relationship while permitting limited relative movement in each of opposite longitudinal directions, from a position of said securing means substantially in the plane of the said at least one manifold sheet, between the said at least one manifold sheet and the said adjacent manifold sheet, said securing means comprising a portion struck out of one manifold sheet and secured to the other manifold sheet and including at least two flexible parts interconnected and joined to said sheet, so that one of said flexible parts provides limited freedom of relative movement in one longitudinal direction and the other said flexible parts provides freedom of relative movement in the other longitudinal direction.

3. A continuous manifold assembly as in claim 2 in which the securing means is located in said tear-off strip.

4. A continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having transverse fold lines, marginal feed holes, means between said sheets for reproducing on an underlying manifold sheet, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheet, a weakened severance line extending longitudinally of the manifold sheet adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-01f strip in which feed holes at one margin are located and securing means connecting at least one manifold sheet to an adjacent manifold sheet to maintain the manifold assembly in assembled relationship while permitting limited relative movement in each of opposite longitudinal directions, from a position of said securing means substantially in the plane of the said at least one manifold sheet, between the said at least one manifold sheet and the said adjacent manifold sheet, said securing means comprising a tab struck out of one manifold sheet and secured to said adjacent manifold sheet at its free end and a flexible neck between the secured end of the tab and the base of the tab to provide freedom of movement in one longitudinal direction, at least one flexible mounting strip extending from the base of the tab in the direction of the free end of the tab, the base of the tab being connected to said flexible mounting strip and said flexible mounting strip connecting the tab to said one manifold sheet to provide freedom of movement in the other longitudinal direction.

5. A continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having transverse fold lines, marginal feed holes, means between said sheets for reproducing on an underlying manifold sheet, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheet, a weakened severance line extending longitudinally of the manifold sheet adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-off strip in which feed holes at one margin are located and securing means connecting at least one manifold sheet to an adjacent manifold sheet to manifold assembly in assembled relationship while permitting limited relative movement in each of opposite longitudinal directions, from a position of said securing means substantially in the plane of the said at least one manifold sheet, between the said at least one manifold sheet and the said adjacent manifold sheet, said securing means comprising a tab struck out of one manifold sheet and secured to an adjacent sheet at its free end and a flexible neck between the secured end of the tab and the base of the tab to provide freedom of movement in one longitudinal direction and a pair of flexible mounting strips diverging from the base of the tab and extending in the direction of the free end of the tab, the base of the tab being connected to said flexible mounting strips and said flexible mounting strips connecting the tab to said one manifold sheet to provide freedom of movement in the other longitudinal direction.

6. A continuous manifold assembly comprising a plurality of individual continuous manifold sheets arranged in registration and having transverse fold lines, marginal feed holes, means between said sheets for reproducing on an underlying manifold sheet, data marked on the uppermost manifold sheet, a weakened severance line extending longitudinally of the manifold sheet adjacent to one margin to provide a tear-off strip in which feed holes at one margin are located and securing means connecting at least one manifold sheet to an adjacent manifold sheet to maintain the manifold assembly in assembled relationship while permitting limited relative movement in each of opposite longitudinal directions, from a position of said securing means substantially in the plane of the said at least one manifold sheet, between the said at least one manifold sheet and the said adjacent manifold sheet, said securing means comprising concentric arcuate cuts facing in opposite directions and of diiferent diameters in one sheet, defining a tab having a flexible neck to give freedom of movement in one direction, said tab being joined at its free end to a sheet adjacent to said one sheet and located within a larger tab to provide flexible con- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Meisel Apr. 10, 1934 Sornberger et al. Oct. 6, 1959 Hoffman Dec. 4, 1962, 

1. A CONTINUOUS MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL CONTINUOUS MANIFOLD SHEETS ARRANGED IN REGISTRATION AND CARBON SHEETS BETWEEN SAID MANIFOLD SHEETS EXTENDING THROUGH AT LEAST A PART OF THE AREA OF SAID MANIFOLD SHEETS, AND CONNECTING MEANS BETWEEN ADJACENT SHEETS, SAID CONNECTING MEANS COMPRISING A PORTION STRUCK OUT OF ONE SHEET AND SECURED TO THE OTHER SHEET AND INCLUDING AT LEAST TWO FLEXIBLE PARTS INTERCONNECTED AND JOINED TO SAID SHEETS SO THAT ONE OF SAID FLEXIBLE PARTS PROVIDES LIMITED FREEDOM OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT IN ONE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION FROM A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID ONE SHEET AND THE OTHER OF SAID FLEXIBLE PARTS PROVIDES LIMITED FREEDON OF RELATIVE LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT IN THE OTHER DIRECTION FROM SAID POSITION. 